


Left Hook

by cosmicmewtwo



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: M/M, what happens on beerus's planet stays on beerus's planet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-28
Updated: 2015-10-28
Packaged: 2018-04-28 14:40:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5094464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmicmewtwo/pseuds/cosmicmewtwo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Goku and Vegeta attempt to put Whis's suggestions into practice, but their training does not go as expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Left Hook

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place during (in between?) the events of Resurrection 'F.' Because obviously that movie needed some deleted smut scenes, right

* * *

 

Vegeta's face was hot with embarrassment as he glided down the temple steps, an open wound of fresh criticism still burning an acidic hole into his ego. He could still hear Whis's assessment of him and his abilities echoing in his mind.

 “ _Why are you Goku's lesser? You walk through life with a chip on your shoulder and your nerves wound too tight. This tension makes it hard to move and fight at your full potential.”_

 Vegeta couldn't stop the anger swelling within him, foolish as it was.

 He quickly came to a landing in the the smooth, obsidian steps and turned onto a familiar corridor. A moment later and he reached a closed archway that irised open upon sensing his ki energy,and he ducked into the sanctuary of his chambers. Muttering to himself, he sat down on a settee nearest to the entryway and began to unfasten his armour.

 He tried to close his eyes, take a deep breath, anything to bring the anger under control. He knew himself at least well enough to know that this was an overreaction, even for him. It wasn't as if he were unfamiliar with failure and struggle— _oh how Kakarot had taught him well in those arenas_.

 But he wasn't offended because Whis was wrong, or because he was being unfair—Vegeta knew every word of it to be painfully true. But hearing it from someone else, so curt and straightforward, and not from the nagging whispers of his own self-doubt... It was more infuriating than he could have expected.

 Vegeta finished unfastening the straps of his armour and slid the hard shell over his head, dropping it to the floor. With only his grey under-layer remaining underneath, he bent over, pressing his elbows on his knees and resting his head in his hands. He pulled a gloved hand through the coarse spikes of his hair before sighing and standing up.

 Vegeta dragged his gaze across his surroundings, but was mostly disinterested. His chamber was in one of the lower levels of the temple's inverted pyramid, far beneath Beerus's temple at the surface. It was too large and spacious for Vegeta's personal tastes, but nothing he wasn't used to. He had lived in the luxury of the Capsule Corp compound for years, after all.

 He began to walk across the floor of the chamber, past the expansive window that dominated most of one wall. Had he bothered to look, he would have seen a vista of the surrounding nebula and a handful of the small moons orbiting the temple. Vegeta didn't care to speculate on the physics of the place, and didn't find the view much more impressive than hundreds he had seen before. He was certain the place was luxurious by whatever alien standards Whis and Beerus held, but Vegeta's attention was drawn entirely to the bed on the chamber's opposite side.

 He moved toward it, wanting nothing more than to sleep for a few hours before resuming training. He fell to the bed unceremoniously, pushing some of the pillows out of the way before lying on his back and closing his eyes. He didn't care that he was still fully clothed, boots and gloves and all. Just a moment's rest would have to do. It would be awhile before his anger burned low enough to even consider sleeping.

 Somehow he didn't hear the entryway when it suddenly reopened. More surprising, he failed to sense the ki signature that entered the room. A ki signature that he could normally pick up like a beacon from any corner in the galaxy.

 “Vegeta?”

 The voice jolted Vegeta, his eyes snapping open. He sat up abruptly and turned to the source of the voice.

 Goku stood at the entryway, hands casually resting on his hips. He greeted Vegeta with a crooked grin, looking for all the world like he had any business being there.

 “Oh hell,” Vegeta spat, swinging his legs over to sit on the ledge of his bed, back turned to Goku. “You better have a damn good reason for coming in here uninvited, Kakarot.”

 “Missed you at dinner,” Goku replied. The lightness of his voice somehow soured Vegeta's mood even further. “Couldn't imagine why you'd want to skip eating, thought I'd come check up on you. You feeling okay?”

 “Just fine.”

 “You sure?”

 “Completely. You can leave now.”

 “Aw, Vegeta, don't be like that. We've been here for weeks now, and any time we're not training or eating, you're always sneaking off to be alone like this.” Goku laughed—an infuriatingly bright sound in an otherwise dark and quiet room. “And that's fine, but I can only hang out with Whis for so long. Great trainer, but for someone who's seen every part of the galaxy, he sure does talk a lot about food.”

 “Then go to your own chambers. Consider meditation.”

 “I can only do that for so long before my mind wanders.” He paused before adding sheepishly, “I don't have the focus that you do.”

 Vegeta rolled his eyes and growled, propelling himself from the bed. Goku was only feet away and Vegeta bristled at the uninvited invasion into his personal space.

 “No, you don't,” Vegeta agreed bitterly. He moved across the room to lean against part of the window, casting his gaze at the nebula outside. “That's exactly what Whis said. You're too relaxed, too cocksure. You do lack focus.”

 Goku chuckled while reaching back with one hand to rub the back of his neck. It was one of the few nervous tics Vegeta had ever noticed in him—but then, Vegeta was uncomfortably familiar with most of Goku's mannerisms.

 “You know, that's... actually kind of what I wanted to talk about?” Goku said, his voice lilting upwards in uncharacteristic unsureness. “What Whis told us after training today. I... I think he's right?”

 Vegeta looked away from the vista outside, his eyes narrowing. “Right? About you, or myself?”

 “Well, ah, both.”

 “Oh? So you think I'm your _lesser_?”

 “No—that's not—I meant about what he said about having a chip on your shoulder. And being so tense that you can't access your full potential.”

 Vegeta crossed his arms, his lip curling to bare his teeth.

 “And he's right about me, too,” Goku went on, his face beginning to redden under Vegeta's darkened stare. “I'm not reaching my full potential, either. I really do have to learn how to focus... take things a little more seriously.”

 Vegeta sighed, shaking his head slightly, and looked away again. “Right. What's your point, Kakarot?”

 “I think we _should_ work together more. I think we can help each other with this. You know we've both plateaued in a lot of ways, but... we can still push further. Working together instead of against each other all the time might be the answer... I think I trust Whis on this one.”

 “We've worked together before, Kakarot,” Vegeta muttered. “I will not do it again.”

 Memories of the Potara fusion flashed to the forefront of Vegeta's memory. He had spent years trying to forget the experience, but found it impossible. He had learned well to forget, or at least box and contain, so many memories of his past, but the disturbing intimacy of the fusion still left a lingering presence in his subconscious. All these years later and parts of his psyche still felt raw from it, as if remnants of Goku had been left behind like some kind of spiritual shrapnel. It was the only explanation he had for the strange thoughts he sometimes had of the other Saiyan, the impulses he often found himself biting down on—

 Vegeta inhaled deeply, attempting to clear his thoughts. His eyes met Goku's, and for a moment he saw something dark flicker there, as if Goku might be grappling with his own unwanted memories of that particular fusion.

 "It... it wouldn't be like that,” Goku said quietly. “That was different. Desperate times, desperate measures, right? Besides, we already spar and train against each other. What would be the harm in learning to fight _with_ each other, as a team?”

 “Our style is too different. Our techniques are mismatched.”

 “That's the point!” said Goku, his eager smile reappearing. “We can teach other! Learn to, well, not 'fuse' exactly, but something close?”

 Vegeta sighed. He knew Goku would stand there all day knocking down his excuses. Even if Vegeta were to kick him out now, he would probably reappear at his door every day to pester him about it like the monumental pain in the ass that he was.

 So he would humour him. For now.

 “Fine.” Vegeta crossed his arms tighter across his chest. “Fine. So what do you propose we do, exactly?”

 Goku rubbed his chin for a moment, as if in deep thought. “Well, for starters...”

 He reached out and grabbed Vegeta's forearms, pulling them apart.

 Vegeta looked down at Goku's hands pulling at him, eyes going wide. “What the hell are you doing?” he spluttered, attempting to pull away.

 "Uncross your arms,” Goku explained. “This is what Whis meant about you being tense—you even look uncomfortable. Just...relax for a second, okay? Actually loosen your muscles.”

 Goku let go, and Vegeta—begrudgingly—let his arms fall to his sides.

 “ _Fine_ ,” he growled. “Happy?”

 “Better,” Goku nodded. “That's a start. But you're still holding yourself like every part of you is clenched.”

 “Well, I'm irritated, Kakarot.”

 “Yeah. We're definitely going to have to work on that,” he pointed out helpfully. “All right. Lesson one. You need to learn to relax. Go sit on your bed for a sec.”

 For a moment Vegeta swore he could feel his blood pressure climbing. “What?”

 “Just trust me, okay? I have an idea.”

 Humouring the fool had clearly been a mistake. Vegeta had every mind to forcibly throw Goku out this instant. But one lingering, fraying thread of patience urged him to hold his temper just a moment longer.

 Cursing under his breath, Vegeta moved back toward his bed. He decided against his better judgement to follow Goku's perplexing request. He sat down on the edge, and immediately turned away from Goku.

 “All right,” he barked. “What now?”

Goku followed him across the room, and took a seat behind Vegeta. Vegeta bristled at the proximity, shifting himself a few inches away.

 “Okay, close your eyes. Take deep breaths. Try to just... chill out for a minute?”

 Vegeta pursed his lips tightly against the litany of curses fighting to escape. He closed his eyes and focused on attempting to... “chill out.”

 Then Vegeta felt Goku's hands on his shoulders, fingers suddenly pressing into muscle and tendon. Vegeta's eyes flew open violently.

 “What the _hell_ are you doing?” he barked as he leapt away from Goku's touch, turning himself around to glower at him.

 “Wow, you really are wound tight,” Goku laughed, reaching again to rub the back of his neck. The subtle mannerism infuriated Vegeta even further somehow. “I'm just trying to give you a back rub?”

 Every blood vessel in Vegeta's temples threatened to burst. “A _back rub_?”

 “Yeah! It really helps loosen up the muscles. I find it works wonders when you're kinda nervous before a big fight, you know? That and a warm bath, for sure.”

 “What, are you planning to _bathe_ me next?”

 Goku's eyes widened , and the faintest shade of pink singed his cheeks. “Well, uh, I didn't—”

 Vegeta dragged a hand down his face, making a noise halfway between a groan and a scream of frustration. “I was being sarcastic, Kakarot! Could you be any more dense?”

 “Sorry,” Goku chuckled. Vegeta noticed his blush had still not entirely left his cheeks. “Maybe I should have given you some heads up. I just figured since we punch and kick and grapple with each other every day, this would be total breeze.”

 “That's different,” Vegeta hissed through his teeth.

 “Is it?” A faint hint of challenge seeped into Goku's voice, his lips curling into a lopsided grin. “That's just training. So is this. You have to learn how to loosen up, Vegeta. You're coiled up tighter than a spring, I could feel that much instantly. Didn't have to touch you to know that, though, even your ki feels like that.”

 Something twisted in Vegeta's stomach. Knowing that Kakarot could sense his ki like that, beyond a mere power level... the fact that he could feel out Kakarot's with a similar intimacy—

 “We'll you're not exactly helping me relax!”

 “You're not letting me!” Goku countered, and teasingly tapped Vegeta's shoulder with his fist. Vegeta looked down at this shoulder like something particularly repulsive had left a slime trail on the fabric.

 “Listen,” Goku continued. “Just... lie down on your front. That'll be easier.”

 Vegeta was discovering new plateaus of rage he didn't think were possible. He could almost envision himself ascending to Super Saiyan Three. “I will _not_.”

 “Okay, lesson two: stop shooting everything down! If we're gonna work as a team we have to figure out how to compromise.”

 “This was a mistake. We're a match made in Hell, Kakarot.”

 “That's not true.” Goku looked at Vegeta almost pleadingly. “Come on. Please relax?”

 Despite himself, Vegeta relented. Whatever powers Goku had, his charm and effortless persuasion were perhaps his most powerful. How else to explain the gang of reformed villains and misfits he had so easily pulled into his orbit over his lifetime? As much as Vegeta hated to admit it, he was just as vulnerable to Goku's infuriating, disarming pull as anyone else.

 Muttering under his breath, Vegeta swung his legs onto the bed and rolled onto his stomach. Heaving a defeated sigh, he rested his forehead on his forearms and closed his eyes.

 Goku placed his hands firmly on Vegeta's mid-back, his fingers kneading into overly-taut muscle. Vegeta felt himself stiffen at first, his teeth gritted. The feeling was foreign to him. He kept bracing for pain, his hands involuntarily clenching into fists as if preparing for self-defence. This intimate closeness and touch was foreign to him outside of combat. _Except for with Bulma_ , he thought, and the association forced his heart to stop short in its beat as his breath caught in his throat.

 Goku began to hum an annoying tune as his hands moved up Vegeta's back, and then to his shoulders and neck. He was pressing hard enough almost to cause pain, but stopping just short of it. Slowly, Vegeta felt his muscles begin to loosen, like a thousand knots finally beginning to untie.

 “See that's much better!” Goku chimed, rubbing gently at the crook of Vegeta's neck. “Try to remember what this feels like when you're moving. You want to feel loose, like you can almost flow like water.”

 Vegeta said nothing, refusing to say out loud that Kakarot might, in fact, be right, and that this was actually working. He didn't think his body ever felt this relaxed naturally, even in his sleep. A faint headache that had been forming earlier even began to fade away to nothing.

 Silently, Vegeta lifted his head from his arms and began to pull off his gloves. He started to push himself from the mattress but felt Goku's hands resisting against his mid-back.

 “Hey, what are you doing?” Goku asked. “Are you uncomfortable?”

 “This garment is too thick,” Vegeta muttered. He reached to his throat and began to unfasten the top of his suit. “Bulma designed this with some sort of carbon nanofiber lattice. It makes the material impervious to just about anything. It's dulling your efforts, Kakarot.” Vegeta pushed back against Goku until he moved, and then shrugged out of the top and dropped it to the floor. Now bare from the waist up, he resumed his prone position on the bed.

 Vegeta opened his eyes after a few moments passed with Goku not moving. He turned his head to look over his shoulder, and saw Goku sitting stiffly at the edge of bed. His hands reached out towards Vegeta, but a look of hesitation clouded his features.

 “Well?” Vegeta asked, raising an eyebrow in annoyance. “What are you waiting for?”

 “N-Nothing—I guess I just wasn't expecting you to be so... receptive,” Goku replied, laughing to defuse whatever awkwardness had paralyzed him. Vegeta couldn't help but notice, however, that Goku failed to suppress the blush that had bloomed across his cheeks.

 Vegeta felt his own face beginning to flush and turned away. He flexed his fingers absently, noting how exposed his hands felt un-gloved. He closed his eyes again and tried not to think about it.

 Goku resumed his work. His hands met bare skin, and Vegeta felt his muscles stiffen anew as he stifled a sudden gasp. This was entirely different, more so than he had expected. The skin-to-skin contact provided a whole new dimension to Goku's touch, and Vegeta's heart began to race with something like panic. It reminded him too much of certain moments during their sparring—stray touches, unexpected grazing of fingers against bare flesh—that left Vegeta's breath hitching in his throat. Moments that only lasted for seconds, but left his chest thrumming and his skin burning. Vegeta often told himself that this was just the nature of battle—it was just what happened when the body was surging with adrenaline and consumed in a state of painful hyperfocus, yet he had no memories of combat with anyone else like this.

 They were moments that Vegeta tried desperately to ignore and to push away into the darker corners of himself—they were part of the reason Vegeta had been so deliberately avoiding Goku outside of training for weeks. But he was forced to confront them with blinding clarity now.

 As Goku continued his ministrations over Vegeta's upper body, Vegeta swallowed, his throat painfully dry.

  _Relax. Relax._ He repeated the word to himself like a talisman. _Just...relax._

 Goku's thumbs trailed down his spine, his fingers still massaging into hard muscle.

 “You doing okay?” he asked Vegeta. “Your ki's spiking kinda weird.”

 “I was about to fall asleep,” Vegeta lied, his voice sounding hoarsely drowsy enough to be convincing. “But jolted awake. You must have hit a nerve.”

 Goku laughed. “Sorry about that. But see how you're relaxing already? Falling asleep and everything... see, this isn't as bad as you thought, huh?”

 Vegeta grunted non-committally.

 “This is good! I think Whis would be happy,” Goku went on. “Definitely a good start, but I think if we can find some other relaxation techniques for you, we'll be set. What do you normally do to relax at home? To kick back?”

 “I don't,” Vegeta muttered, clenching his teeth as Goku's fingers kneaded into a particularly tight knot at the base of his neck. “I just train.”

 “That can't be all you do! Sometimes I go fishing, or out for walks, play with Goten... don't you do anything like that?”

 “Sometimes Bulma distracts me.”

 It took a moment for Goku to pick up on Vegeta's meaning.

 “That's not what I meant,” Goku said after a nervous laugh. “I think we need to find you a hobby.”

 “A hobby? Of course, Kakarot, I'll be sure to get right on that. Take up knitting, maybe do some light gardening. I'll be a formidable warrior in no time.”

 Goku sighed. “That's not what I meant. Besides... you're already a formidable warrior, Vegeta.”

 Vegeta raised an eyebrow at the compliment, but wasn't going to argue it. Despite his earlier protests, he was feeling lighter, more at ease, and maybe he could pass up a sarcastic jab this one time. He allowed his eyes to close and his mind to to drift into a comfortable state of daydream.

 Slowly, Vegeta began to notice that Goku's touches were starting to become softer, less focused. Soon it felt less like kneading and more like Goku's fingers were just gently grazing the skin, drawing out invisible patterns on Vegeta's flesh. It took Vegeta a few moments to realize what he was doing: Goku was tracing his fingers along the scars on Vegeta's back, his fingers following the ugly patterns that crisscrossed most of his torso. His touch became almost hesitant as his fingers rubbed along the scar tissue, as if spelling out a question in touch instead of words.

 “Vegeta?” Goku asked. His voice sounded quieter than before. “Can I ask you something?”

 “Well, I suppose if I said 'no' you'd ask anyway.”

 Goku hesitated for a moment at Vegeta's comment, but went on. “What would you do if you surpassed me? If you became way more powerful than me, like you always wanted?”

 “I would kick you into another galaxy, obviously.”

 But the lightness had left Goku's voice entirely. “I'm being serious. What would you do?”

 “I... am not sure,” Vegeta admitted, almost embarrassed by his non-answer. The fantasy of it had consumed him for so long that he never really thought that far ahead, never actually planned an end-game to all of it. “I was waiting to cross that bridge when I got there.”

 Goku continued to rub his palms along the muscles of Vegeta's mid-back, the movements still soft but more erratic than before.

 “You know, all these these years I've been training and fighting,” Goku continued, his voice dipping lower, almost to a whisper. “To become better and stronger for myself, yeah—but part of me has been trying really hard to stay a step ahead of you. Not... not to prove anything, or to spite you or... anything like that. I just...”

 Vegeta heard Goku swallow, then pause, as if trying to find the right words. Kakarot was many things, but an eloquent speaker... not usually.

 Goku took in a sharp breath. “I was afraid you'd leave.”

 Vegeta felt something in his stomach twist. “What?”

 “I was afraid that if you finally beat me, you... would just leave. That you wouldn't have any reason to stay on Earth anymore. I don't know where you'd go, but... it wouldn't be Earth. And I'm not really sure what Earth would be like without you around anymore?”

 Vegeta opened his eyes wide. Whatever he had been expecting Goku to say, it wasn't that. “I... I wouldn't leave, Kakarot.”

 “I know, I know, it's silly,” Goku laughed, but the lightness sounded forced this time. “You have Trunks and Bulma, I know now you wouldn't do that to them, obviously...”

 Vegeta lifted his head slightly, trying to shift against the strange ache that was forming in his chest. Yes, Kakarot was right, Trunks and Bulma were certainly a good reason for making Earth his home but—and every part of Vegeta balked at the truth of it—they weren't the only reason.

 Goku fell quiet again, and Vegeta could hear nothing but the slow, heavy pounding of his own heartbeat. Goku's hands continued to trail down Vegeta's back, massaging less firmly than before, as if distracted. His hands rubbed against the small of Vegeta's back, his fingers at his waist as his thumbs continued to press into muscle. It felt good—really good, Vegeta could not deny his own senses there. But then Goku's hands dipped lower, pressing into a particularly sensitive scar at the lowest part of his back—

 “Kakarot,” Vegeta gasped, snapping an arm back to grab one of Goku's hands in his own. “Not there.”

 Goku pulled his hands away. “Ah sorry Vegeta, I didn't even realize—”

 “It's fine,” Vegeta said through gritted teeth, trying to ignore the phantom sensation of pain and pleasure pulsing up his spine. He pushed himself up from the mattress and turned on his side to look at Goku. The light in the chamber was fairly dim, with most of the illumination coming from glowing sconces mounted along the walls. But it was enough to see Goku clearly, back-lit by the orange and violet light beaming in from the surrounding nebula beyond the window. He looked... apologetic, somewhat embarrassed, a hand reaching behind his head to rub the back of his neck.

 “I think that's enough,” Vegeta coughed, trying to hide his sudden breathlessness.

 “Yeah, probably enough for today,” Goku agreed, still scratching at his neck. He began to lift himself from the bed, but paused. “Thanks, Vegeta.”

 “Thanks?” Vegeta cocked an eyebrow. “For what?”

 Goku shrugged. “For agreeing to try to work with me. For agreeing to talk to me today at all, really. I feel like you've been avoiding me for so long, I really thought you'd kick me out when I came down here. I mean, I know you like to be alone, I get that, and I get that we don't always get along, I just thought... I was starting to think you really did hate me.”

 Goku began to stand up, but Vegeta grabbed his wrist.

 “Kakarot.”

 Goku looked down at where Vegeta gripped him, and Vegeta pulled him back down to the mattress. Vegeta lifted himself up to sit alongside him at the edge of the bed.

 “Kakarot,” he repeated, and opened his mouth, then closed it, not sure what he meant to say. “I don't hate you.” Another pause. “I never really... hated you, Kakarot, I—”

 Goku looked directly at him, eyes wide. He waited expectantly for Vegeta to continue, but...

 "Never mind, it doesn't matter,” Vegeta said, shaking his head. He looked away from Goku, unable to meet his gaze, unable to finish what he was saying, embarrassed that he had even started.

 Vegeta had let go of Goku's wrist, but Goku's hand reached for his now, his fingers grazing Vegeta's. Vegeta almost flinched at the touch, feeling exposed and off-guard without his ever-present gloves. Goku closed his hand over Vegeta's, lacing their fingers together, and Vegeta reflexively began to pull back.

 “Kakarot—”

 His words caught in his throat, his breath leaving him entirely as Goku leaned in closer to Vegeta. Goku raised his other hand to Vegeta's face, cupping his cheek, thumb grazing at Vegeta's jawline.

 “Kakarot,” Vegeta choked. His skin flushed hotly across his face as a warm ache began to bloom behind his ribs, but he was too stunned to move.

 Vegeta felt Goku's breath hot on his skin for a moment as he looped his hand behind Vegeta's neck, pressing at the base of his skull. Before Vegeta could stop him, Goku pulled his face closer and sealed Vegeta's lips with his own.

 Vegeta stiffened, a strangled noise dying in his throat as he struggled to brace himself against Goku's kiss. His hands scrabbled up Goku's arms, his fingers finding purchase at his shoulders and gripped hard enough to bruise. He felt like he was drowning, slipping down into some lightless oblivion, as if Kakarot was pulling him into a Fusion he never agreed to. He couldn't breathe, _couldn't breathe_ , tried to pull away, push away, but Goku pressed himself even closer until Vegeta's bare chest brushed the fabric of Goku's gi.

 Growling around Goku's lips, Vegeta balled one hand into a fist and swung it into Goku's face.

 The blow wasn't particularly powerful, but it caught Goku off-guard. Releasing Vegeta, he fell off the mattress with a sharp cry before landing on the floor, half the bedsheets coming with him. Vegeta leaped from the bed, glowering down at Goku like he might start hitting back. Goku reached a hand reflexively towards his cheek, where Vegeta's left hook had left a small, bleeding cut above his cheekbone.

 “Vegeta? What are you—”

 “ _What the_ hell _are you thinking, Kakarot_?” Vegeta snarled, shocked by the venom seeping into his own voice. With shaking arms, he leaned down and grabbed Goku by the front of his gi. He lifted Goku from the floor and threw him back to the bed, propelled by rage and adrenaline and other impulses he was desperately trying to ignore.

 Vegeta climbed on top of him, straddling his hips and pinning him to the mattress. Goku reached out towards Vegeta, but Vegeta grabbed his wrists and pinned those, too, to the bed. He glared down at Goku, whose expression looked almost hurt. He began to say something to Vegeta, but he could hear nothing but his own heart pounding and a shrill ringing in his ears. His mind spun, unable to reconcile any of the conflicting impulses flooding through him, not knowing if he wanted to fight or something else. Was _this_ it? Was this truly what all these years of training and fighting and sparring and obsession had culminated to? _Yet another battle that Vegeta wouldn't win?_

 “ _God damn it, Kakarot_ ,” Vegeta growled before releasing Goku's hands, leaning down, and crushing his lips to Goku's.

 Goku made a noise halfway between a cry and a moan as Vegeta's hands pulled at this hair and bit at Goku's bottom lip. The kiss was rougher, angrier than Goku's, and Vegeta sunk himself into it, feeling years of denial lifting, dissolving away.

 Goku's hands were on Vegeta's torso now, running down his sides, pulling at his waist. Vegeta reached down to untie Goku's belt, his hands dipping hungrily into the folds of his gi. Soon the top of the gi was torn off, dropping to the floor, followed by Goku kicking off his boots.

 Their bodies pressed together. Goku gasped as Vegeta pulled at the spikes of his hair and tipped his head back. Vegeta's mouth met his neck, pressing hard kisses down his throat, tongue lapping at skin, and Goku gasped again as Vegeta's teeth grazed beneath his jaw. Goku held Vegeta tighter, grinding his hips up into Vegeta's, and Vegeta groaned as he felt Goku's hardness rub against his own.

 Vegeta responded with a growl in his throat, and slid his fingers into the waistband of Goku's pants. Without warning, he pulled down, and Vegeta smirked as Goku's long, hard length was exposed to him.

 “This eager for me already?” Vegeta hissed, his lips rubbing against the shell of Goku's ear. Goku cried out sharply as Vegeta wrapped a hand around his erection, and began panting fitfully as Vegeta began to pump him with painful slowness, his thumb rubbing the thin strand of fluid leaking at his tip.

 Goku clutched at Vegeta's shoulders, nails digging red welts into the skin. “Vegeta.”

 Vegeta chuckled darkly at Kakarot's whining, desperate need, savouring the sight of his rival crumbling helplessly beneath him. _Maybe this_ is _a battle I can win._

 Vegeta continued to stroke Goku, feeling himself growing harder at Goku's panting and moaning. He kissed Goku's cheek, planting his lips over the cut he had given him earlier, and the ferrous taste of blood filled him with a hot, blinding hunger. He wanted to taste Kakarot, every inch of him, he wanted to devour him whole.

 Vegeta kissed down Goku's throat, lips and tongue trailing hotly down to his collarbone. Vegeta's teeth teased momentarily at a nipple, and Goku forced a breath through his teeth as he clutched Vegeta tighter. Vegeta's hands finally released Goku, moving downward to clutch at his thighs instead as Vegeta's mouth continued down the hard muscles of Goku's torso.

 “Vegeta,” Goku panted in protest, his back and hips arching up desperately.

 "You have no patience,” Vegeta growled, pushing Goku's hips back down into the mattress. He began to kiss at the inside of Goku's thigh. “Lucky for you, Kakarot, I'm feeling merciful.”

 His hand wrapped around the base of Goku's cock, and Vegeta took a moment to look up at him. He indulged for a moment at the sight of Goku biting his lip, sweat glistening on his brow, eyes squeezed shut in something like pain. This fantasy had played out in Vegeta's mind before, in the darkest parts of him, more often than he could admit, and to see it in the flesh...

 Vegeta lowered his head and flicked his tongue against Goku's tip. He felt Goku twitching in his hand as he gasped. Slowly, torturously, Vegeta lapped his tongue along the underside of Goku's cock. Groaning in response, Goku thrust his hips upward in Vegeta's squeezing hand. Vegeta continued his slow, hard strokes, kissing at the tip and savouring Goku's taste as Goku tangled his hands in Vegeta's hair. Finally, Vegeta relented and opened his mouth wide, swallowing Goku whole.

 Vegeta dipped up and down Goku's length, relishing the thickness that slid against his tongue and stifled his throat. Goku's hands gripped tight into Vegeta's hair, pulling down, _hard_ , hard enough that Vegeta felt himself sputter around the base of Goku's cock. But Vegeta was relentless—with one smooth movement, he took Goku's entire length deep into his throat. Goku's breath stuttered, and Vegeta could feel him twitching at the back of his throat. And as much as Vegeta wanted to finish his rival then and there, to hear what he sounded like at completion, to taste his release, he knew he could take this further. Slowly, Vegeta began to pull his mouth away, his tongue flicking at Goku's tip before drawing away completely, Vegeta remaining connected to him by only a thin tether of saliva from his lips.

 “Vegeta, please,” Goku pleaded as Vegeta pulled away and climbed back up Goku's body to find a new position straddling his hips.

 “You're impatient,” said Vegeta darkly, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. He looked down at Goku, and the look of desperation that strained his face was enough to make Vegeta salivate. He leaned down to kiss at Goku's throat, but just as his lips brushed skin, Goku gripped him hard by the arms and flipped him, forcing Vegeta's back into the mattress as Goku leaned over him.

 Before Vegeta could protest, Goku's fingers were dipping into the hem of his pants, and in the next moment they were peeled off him entirely. The bottom of Goku's gi followed in an instant. Goku pressed Vegeta into the bed, grinding his hips into Vegeta's, his hands running up and down the sides of Vegeta's hard, muscled body and they quickly became a sweating, naked tangle of limbs as their mouths and tongues found each other. Vegeta choked down a gasp as he drowned beneath Goku's lips, becoming painfully aware of his own exposed erection throbbing against Goku's abdomen.

 Goku pulled his mouth away, but pressed himself harder to Vegeta, as if it were possible to get any physically closer to him. He kissed softly and desperately at Vegeta's neck and chest, Vegeta's name spilling from his lips in an incoherent tumble, over and over. Vegeta could only feel himself growing painfully harder at the heated pleading, begging, from the Saiyan on top of him.

 Vegeta growled and wrapped his legs around Goku, and Goku groaned into Vegeta's neck as he thrust fitfully against him.

 “Kami, Vegeta,” Goku whispered against Vegeta's ear. “I want—I want—”

 “You have no idea what you're doing, do you Kakarot?” Vegeta hissed, and sunk his teeth into Goku's neck. Goku cried out, and in his moment of distraction, Vegeta tightened his grip around Goku's waist and flipped them again. Vegeta found himself straddling Goku's hips once again, forcing him back to the mattress.

 “Rushing into things without thinking,” Vegeta growled into Goku's ear. He trapped Goku's wrists above his head, leaving Goku defenceless beneath him. “Trying to take me without any plan of attack, without any idea what you're doing.” With his other hand, Vegeta pushed two of his fingers into Goku's panting mouth. “Let this be _your_ lesson, Kakarot.”

 Goku gagged momentarily at the unexpected invasion, and Vegeta pushed deeper before withdrawing his slick fingers. One hand still trapping Goku to the bed, Vegeta reached down. He roughly fondled between Goku's legs before finding entry and and began to slide one finger in, slowly.

 Goku gasped, his lower back arching sharply. “Vegeta, what are you—”

 Vegeta silenced him with a kiss, continuing to push his finger as far as it would go, then withdrawing, just as slowly.. Goku's moans were smothered beneath Vegeta's lips as he repeated the motion, but this time with his second finger.

 Goku cried out and bucked hard against Vegeta, and for a moment Vegeta thought he had gone too far, too quickly. But this was the universe's strongest beneath him, a man who had endured more than any other fighter in history . And besides—the desperate, stuttering moans coming from his throat hardly sounded like pain to Vegeta. Vegeta found that he ached at the sound of it, his cock throbbing so painfully he didn't know how much longer he could restrain himself. His fingers thrust into Goku repeatedly, teasing at his core before Vegeta finally withdrew his hand entirely. He began to stroke himself instead, using his saliva to begin slicking his own length.

 Goku panted at the loss. “Vegeta—please, don't...stop—”

 Vegeta steadied his cock with one hand, and braced himself against Goku's waist with the other. “I'm only starting, Kakarot.”

 Goku's eyes widened, apparently unsure what Vegeta meant. Vegeta was more than willing to clarify for him, and began to press slowly into Goku.

 “Vegeta—”

 Goku's breath left him as Vegeta pushed in, barely breaking into him with the first thrust. Vegeta persisted, forcing himself deeper with several slow, hard movements, and he already felt alarmingly close to release at the strangled, needy cries that left Goku's throat.

 “Fuck,” Vegeta cursed under his breath. Nothing had prepared him for Goku being this tight. He knew he was going too quickly, rushing Goku through something he had clearly never done before, but Vegeta couldn't restrain himself. An aching hunger burned away at his core, and he knew he wouldn't be satisfied until he forced Kakarot to unravel beneath him.

 A few more thrusts and Vegeta had finally buried himself to the hilt. Goku's walls squeezed almost painfully around him and Vegeta hissed, sinking his fingers deep into Goku's waist. Goku began to hook his legs around Vegeta's hips, and Vegeta let him. He moved his hands to Goku's thighs as they tightened around Vegeta's sides, their bodies pressing closer together. Vegeta angled still deeper into Goku, moving harder and faster than before, pressing his lips to Goku's neck, mouth hot and wet against Goku's throat.

 Goku's cries only intensified, almost turning to something like sobs as Vegeta began to pound into him with increasing urgency. He wanted to drag this on for an eternity, but didn't know how much longer he could last. His head spun, the room and temple and universe ceasing to exist around him as he continued to drive them both closer to oblivion.

 “Kami, Vegeta,” Goku gasped, “I want—please, p-please—”

 Vegeta grabbed one of Goku's legs, slinging it over his shoulder. “Are you going to come for me, Kakarot?”

 "Please, Vegeta, don't...don't stop—”

 Goku's pleading was irresistible, and Vegeta was quick to reach a hand between them and begin to pump Goku's length.

 Goku moaned sharply at the touch and it was only moments before he was coming in Vegeta's fist, spurting onto his stomach and chest. Vegeta relished the sound Goku made as he finished, memorized the look on his face as he bucked into Vegeta's hand, defeated.

 Vegeta lowered his head, licking at Goku's chest to taste the fluid spattered there. He groaned at the taste on his tongue, and felt himself coming painfully close. The feeling of Goku still shuddering beneath him was all it took. With several hard, urgent thrusts, he spilled himself into his rival, crying out his name in ragged breaths that sounded alien even to himself, his thrusts finally slowing when nothing of himself was left.

 Nothing seemed to exist for several moments. Nothing but the sensation of skin and sweat and distant starlight penetrated Vegeta's mind until slowly, reality began to retake its shape around them, and Vegeta pulled away to collapse next to Goku on the bed. Their chests rose and fell in similar, rapid rhythm as they regained their senses. Vegeta closed his eyes and for several minutes could hear nothing but his own pounding heartbeat and Goku's panting breath.

 Slowly, Goku began to shift beside him. Vegeta opened his eyes to find Goku looking down at him. Gently, Goku leaned down and kissed him. Vegeta let him.

 Goku's pulled his lips away, and for a moment his hand brushed softly at Vegeta's cheek. Vegeta swallowed, cupping his palm against Goku's hand and closed his eyes again. He suddenly felt bare.

 Goku quietly moved away. He slid from the bed and Vegeta felt the mattress shift with his absence. He listened to Goku's footsteps quietly padding away, and then heard the distant sound of running water from the attached bath suite.

 Vegeta did not move from where he lay. His chest ached strangely and he found he wanted nothing more than to fall asleep and stay asleep for a long time.

 But Goku shortly returned. He sat on the edge of the bed and for a moment Vegeta thought he was about to put on his clothes and leave. Instead he lay back down next to Vegeta.

 “Vegeta?”

 Vegeta's eyes were still closed. “Yes?”

 "Do you mind if I stay here?”

 Vegeta grunted. “Do as you please, Kakarot.”

 Goku stretched out lazily on his side of the bed. Vegeta bristled slightly at how quick Goku was to claim the space, as if he belonged there all along.

 “I have to admit, Vegeta... I wasn't exactly expecting our training to go.... quite like that.”

Vegeta cracked an eye open. “And here I was starting to think you had ambushed me in my quarters for exactly that purpose.”

 Goku flushed a deep red. “No, that's not—”

 “No need for protesting,” Vegeta growled. “Maybe next time you won't be caught off-guard so easily.”

 “...next time?”

 Vegeta shifted to his side so that he faced Goku directly. Goku's eyes were wide, his expression strangely unreadable. Vegeta brought a hand to his cheek, brushing Goku's bottom lip with his thumb.

  _What, Kakarot, you think it stops here?_

 “Yes, Kakarot, next time,” Vegeta said, and stopped himself before he could divulge all the sinful ways he imagined taking Goku again, all the things he could still do to him.

 “Vegeta, we... We can't just—Kami, Vegeta, we're both married and everything—”

 Vegeta interrupted him with a deep kiss, crushing his lips to Goku's before he had a chance to argue any further. They weren't on Earth. As far as Vegeta was concerned, Earth was such a remote concept at this point that it seemed like something to worry about for another time. As it was, they were sealed away in some ancient god's temple, so far removed from all of space and time that the entire plane of existence felt uniquely theirs. Unreachable to everyone and everything else.

 “It's awfully late for you to be worrying about that now,” Vegeta growled against Goku's mouth. “You said you wanted to work together, Kakarot. Consider this part of your training.”

 Goku opened his mouth to argue, but Vegeta pulled him into another kiss. Defeated, Goku let him.

 


End file.
